Objective
The term "nowcasting" is used to describe an observation-intensive approach to local, very-short term (up to 2 hours) weather forecasting. In the present Action it will cover forecasts up to 12 hours ahead. Nowcasting contributes to safety in many fields of human activity by providing improved warning for flood, storm winds, and hazardous conditions affecting transport by air, land and sea etc. It also contributes to many sectors of the economy, e.g. :
flight operations,
road transport, especially clearance of snow and ice,
agricultural spraying and harvesting,
generation and distribution of energy.
Development of nowcasting techniques will improve human safety and increase economical competitiveness. This development, leading to improved weather forecasts, is very likely to be achieved more quickly through the co-ordinated approach of COST.
Current status
Phase 1 (Finished)
Within the Action, five projects were established in Phase 1 of the Action Plan. These accomplished the basic strategies of the Action :
Understanding of phenomena (basic principles, conceptual models) ;
Nowcast models and techniques (putting those principles at work, specific models for Nowcasting) ;
Interactive tools and knowledge-based systems (Manual feedback, process control,...) ;
Visualisation (efficient communication of relevant information to the forecasters) ;
Interface with end-users (consumer's products, generation and distribution).
The Working Groups for each Project have now produced their results and evaluations. The Management Committee of COST-78 has used this inventory in setting the direction of the second phase of the Action : active collaboration in the development of techniques to address critical nowcasting problems.
Phase 2 (Started)
This second phase started with a workshop in Bologna, Italy, in March 1996. This Workshop also tried to identify some relationships and interfaces to future EUMETNET and EUMETSAT/SAF programmes. Three themes were identified for Phase 2 :
Strong convection
Fog and low clouds
Fronts and rapid cyclogenesis.
At the workshop projects (around 10) were identified. Draft project plans were created with objectives, participation, responsibilities, time plan etc. The project groups are relatively small in order to make the management of the projects more effective.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
1049 Brussels
Belgium